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PROPERTY FROM THE FRANCINE AND BERNARD WALD COLLECTION OF FINE CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES
Lot 251
A SUPERB HONEY-BROWN AND SEMI-TRANSPARENT GREY CHALCEDONY AGATE 'GATHERING LINGZHI' SNUFF BOTTLE Suzhou, Zhiting School, 1750-1830, engraved three-character title Cai zhi tu (gathering lingzhi picture)
17 March 2025, 09:00 EDT
New YorkSold for US$12,160 inc. premium
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I-Hsuan Chen
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A SUPERB HONEY-BROWN AND SEMI-TRANSPARENT GREY CHALCEDONY AGATE 'GATHERING LINGZHI' SNUFF BOTTLE
Suzhou, Zhiting School, 1750-1830, engraved three-character title Cai zhi tu (gathering lingzhi picture)
Of bulbous rounded spade shape, brilliantly carved in a delicate mid relief with a cloaked figure holding a hoe and standing before a large group of multiple coiling lingzhi beneath serrated rockwork and further lingzhi, and continuing on the reverse with multiple areas of curving serrated rockwork and broad plain areas between, one with a three-character inscription reading cai zhi tu, a small brown inclusion carved as stylized pine or flowerheads, all beneath a swirling cloud collar at the shoulder and a plain cylindrical neck with slightly concave lip and small mouth, fairly well hollowed to the interior, supported on a small flat oval base.
2 1/2in (6.5cm) high, stopper
Of bulbous rounded spade shape, brilliantly carved in a delicate mid relief with a cloaked figure holding a hoe and standing before a large group of multiple coiling lingzhi beneath serrated rockwork and further lingzhi, and continuing on the reverse with multiple areas of curving serrated rockwork and broad plain areas between, one with a three-character inscription reading cai zhi tu, a small brown inclusion carved as stylized pine or flowerheads, all beneath a swirling cloud collar at the shoulder and a plain cylindrical neck with slightly concave lip and small mouth, fairly well hollowed to the interior, supported on a small flat oval base.
2 1/2in (6.5cm) high, stopper
Footnotes
1750-1830 精美蘇作瑪瑙「采芝圖」鼻煙壺一件
蘇州芝亭流派 陰刻《采芝圖》款
Provenance:
Hugh Moss, Hong Kong, November 1998
Published:
ICSBS, Journal, Winter 2005, front cover
來源：
莫士撝，香港，1998年11月
出版：
ICSBS Journal，2005年冬季刊，封面
See Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, Vol. 2, Quartz, pp. 504-509, no. 366, for a discussion of the Zhiting School. See also the ICSBS Journal Autumn 1997, an article by Hugh Moss 'Ink-Play Agates', pp.4-16 for a discussion on 'ink-play' work in hardstone.
The identification of the gender of the lingzhi gatherer on this bottle is ambiguous. Usually depicted as a male, here the figure appears to be donning a cowl over the head, feminine features and flowing robes, suggesting a female deity, possibly Lan Caihe. Interestingly, the inscription includes the same sounding word or homophone, cai, though a different Chinese character for the word 'gathering'.